Teacher Uteah: “Greetings Dear Students,
You are all dearly loved and cared for by the Creator Father. By His grace do you have life and are you given the opportunity to live eternally — to ‘become perfect as he is perfect.’ His love for you and all others is without condition and He is no respecter of persons. For some this is a confusing statement that is sometimes misinterpreted. Many believe that if they are to become perfected they must gain Father’s favor and will spend their time doing good deeds as a way to ‘prove’ that they are worthy of Father’s blessings. Many also believe that prosperity is proof that they are in Father’s favor. Although doing good is a part of Father’s will, it is the intention behind the act that determines its eternal value to you and others.

“Doing good as a way to secure ‘favor’ with the Father could be seen as a positive act that promotes goodwill. Although it ‘appears’ to serve others through the act itself, it is really intended to give the ‘doer’ a preferred status where they expect that they will be blessed for the doing of the ‘good.’ This thinking of being ‘preferred’ is just another form of separation and division from your fellows. It is a form of righteousness through sacrifice. It says, ‘Look at me, Father, for I do these good deeds for You — my sacrifice (my time and resources) proves that I am doing your will — can you now bless me above all others?’ ‘See how I help these poor unfortunate souls — see how much greater I am than they are for the doing of this service?’

“Jesus admonished his disciples to ‘Do your good works in secret — don’t let the left hand know what the right hand is doing.’ He would point out that some religious leaders would go out into the market place and blow a horn to draw attention to themselves and then throw money into the alms basket to display their piety above all others. Jesus warned that their only reward was from their own sense of self-importance. To truly serve and do Father’s will is to be selfless’ in service to your fellows — that in serving others you are doing something that will help make your world a better place for all or will relieve some form of suffering. The Great Plan requires that ‘all souls’ become perfected, not just ‘some souls.’ Giving of yourself in service to others is a reflection of Father’s love in you — it demonstrates to those poorer in spirit that Father’s love is real and it can become the very thing that gives them the courage to do good unto others. These are acts of the soul (from the heart) — not from a mind that expects something in return.

“You may ask, ‘Does the Father bless those who do good deeds?’ The better questions to ask is, ‘Does my good work benefit the Great Plan?’ ‘Am I doing my good work for Father’s favor; or to be seen by others as being great; or am I doing this good work for the benefit of my fellows — to demonstrate Father’s love?’ When you are engaged in benevolent service to enrich the souls of others, your own soul is blessed. Those that have the courage to demonstrate Father’s love are given more ________(fill in the blank) so that they may be of greater service. This is not favor, but a wider channel to accomplish the goals of the Great Plan. Where a way opens to bring love and light into the world, Father, by providence, will use that channel as an instrument of His will.

“Do you want to be an instrument of Father’s will? Be courageous and open your heart to the love of the Father and be a reflection of that love by outpouring that love into the world. The wider you open the channel, the more love will pour through you. Staying dedicated in service is to become like a vessel of Father’s love. Vessels are meant to fill the cups of those who thirst. See that you are filling the cups of your fellows and Father will see that your vessel is always replenished. That, my dear students, is a true blessing.